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An investigation of culturally responsive teaching using James Banks' Five dimensions of multicultural education: a case study

AN INVESTIGATION OF CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE TEACHING
USING JAMES BANKS’ FIVE DIMENSIONS OF MULTICULTURAL
EDUCATION: A CASE STUDY
by
Millicent Powell
A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE ROSSIER SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION
May 2007
Copyright 2007 Millicent Powell

Within this research project, a single school unit which subscribes to culturally responsive teaching practices was studied. Teaching practices were analyzed within the context of James Banks' Five Dimensions of Multicultural Education (content integration, equity pedagogy, an empowering school and social structure, knowledge construction and prejudice reduction) in an effort to offer a comprehensive conceptualization of a multicultural education program within the context of actual school practice.; The research questions which guided this study were these: Are James Banks' Five Dimensions of Multicultural Education (Banks, 1996) present within this school unit, how does it look and what are the implications for teaching and learning? Seven teachers were randomly selected for the study. Using a grounded theory approach, data were collected using methods which included observations, interviews and artifacts.; Fourteen major themes emerged from this investigation. Within the category of content integration, participants demonstrated proficiency and uniqueness in infusing academic content into culturally based lessons. Teachers created equitable learning environments by designing teaching and learning activities based on their students' cultural and cognitive learning styles. Built into the school's ethos was a commitment to respect students' home languages and cultures, and to create an atmosphere that would affirm and inspire student achievement, contributing to an empowering school and social structure. Participants' investigation of knowledge construction produced dialogues on the origins and ideologies surrounding knowledge constructs. In an effort to build students' self-identity, participants relied heavily on the use of culturally responsive literature and case analysis of prominent African American figures, events and experiences, offering students a positive reflection of African American life. This dimension was the only construct found not to be characteristically connected to Banks' original definition of prejudice reduction which primarily concerns itself with the enhancement of cross-cultural relationships as oppose to the specific enhancement of self-identities.

AN INVESTIGATION OF CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE TEACHING
USING JAMES BANKS’ FIVE DIMENSIONS OF MULTICULTURAL
EDUCATION: A CASE STUDY
by
Millicent Powell
A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE ROSSIER SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION
May 2007
Copyright 2007 Millicent Powell